TEU branch president Sid Suha Aksoy say the proposal privatises large parts of the polytechnic.

“Staff and students will suffer first, but as with the recent Serco prison debacle, the taxpayers will suffer too.”

Aksoy says he is grateful that TEU’s academic staff members are not losing their jobs in this proposal, but all staff are in shock at the magnitude of the proposal and at the impact it will have on their friends and 1100 colleagues.

“This is not a vision for the future. This is the direct result of government underfunding. It means fewer people doing more work for less money.”

Aksoy says that is a recipe for poorer quality education for Auckland students.

TEU is opposing the changes. The union is meeting weekly with management over the changes. It is also holding departmental meetings with all its members over the next few weeks to seek their views on what should happen next.

Aksoy says allied and administrative staff are essential to other staff and students, and cutting their jobs will end up costing everyone more in the long term.